Penalty (ice hockey)

A penalty in ice hockey is a punishment for an infringement of the rules. Most penalties are enforced by sending the offending player to a penalty box for a set number of minutes. During the penalty the player may not participate in play. Penalties are called and enforced by the referee, or in some cases, the linesman. The offending team may not replace the player on the ice (although there are some exceptions, such as fighting), leaving them short-handed as opposed to full strength. When the opposing team is said to be on a power play, they will have one more player on the ice than the short-handed team. The short-handed team is said to be "on the penalty kill" until the penalty expires and the penalized player returns to play. While standards vary somewhat between leagues, most leagues recognize several common varieties of penalties, as well as common infractions.

The statistic used to track penalties was traditionally called "Penalty Infraction Minutes" (PIM), although the alternate term "penalty minutes" has become common in recent years. It represents the total assessed length of penalties each player or team has accrued.[1]

The referee (top-left) signals a delayed penalty by raising an arm, and prepares to blow the whistle when a player from the team to be penalized (in white) gains control of the puck. Goaltender Jere Myllyniemi can be seen (right) rushing to the bench to send on an extra attacker.

The first codified rules of hockey, known as the Halifax Rules, were brought to Montreal by James Creighton, who organized the first indoor hockey game in 1875.[2] Two years later, the Montreal Gazette documented the first set of "Montreal Rules", which noted that "charging from behind, tripping, collaring, kicking or shinning the ball shall not be allowed". The only penalty outlined by these rules was that play would be stopped, and a "bully" (faceoff) would take place.[3] Revised rules in 1886 mandated that any player in violation of these rules would be given two warnings, but on a third offence would be removed from the game.[4]

It was not until 1904 that players were ruled off the ice for infractions. At that time, a referee could assess a two-, three- or five-minute penalty, depending on the severity of the foul. By 1914, all penalties were five minutes in length, reduced to three minutes two years later, and the offending player was given an additional fine. When the National Hockey League (NHL) was founded in 1917, it mandated that a team could not substitute for any player who was assessed a penalty, thus requiring them to play shorthanded for the duration. The penalty was shortened to two minutes for the 1921–22 season, while five- and ten-minute penalties were added two years later.[5]

Both the NHL and the International Ice Hockey Federation (IIHF) recognize the common penalty degrees of minor and major penalties, as well as the more severe misconduct, game misconduct, and match penalties.

A minor penalty is the least severe type of penalty.[6] A minor penalty is two minutes in length. The offending player is sent to the penalty box and in most cases, his team will play shorthanded. If the offending player is the goaltender or a team is given a "bench minor" penalty (assessed against the team, rather than an individual player), then any skater who was on the ice at the time of the infraction may serve the penalty.[7] In rare cases, when the offending player suffers an injury on the same play, whoever is on the ice at the time of the penalty may also serve the penalty, as was the case of Game 2 of the Pittsburgh Penguins-Washington Capitals during the 2017 Stanley Cup playoffs, when Phil Kessel served a penalty in place of Tom Kuhnhackl.[8]

A team with a numerical advantage in players will go on a power play. If they score a goal during this time, the penalty will end and the offending player may return to the ice.[9] In hockey's formative years, teams were shorthanded for the entire length of a minor penalty. The NHL changed this rule following the 1955–56 season where the Montreal Canadiens frequently scored multiple goals on one power play. Most famous was a game on November 5, 1955, when Jean Béliveau scored three goals in 44 seconds, all on the same power play, in a 4–2 victory over the Boston Bruins.[5]

Coincidental (or "matching") minor penalties occur when an equal number of players from each team are given a minor penalty at the same time. The permission of a substitute player depends on the league and the situation at the time of the infractions. In some leagues, such as the NHL, the teams will play four-on-four for the duration of the penalties if they occurred when both teams were at even strength. However, if there is already a manpower differential, then both teams are allowed to make substitutions while the penalized players will remain in the penalty box until the first stoppage in play after their penalty expires.[10] In other competitions, such as IIHF events, coincidental penalties do not affect manpower in any situation.[11] Coincidental minor penalties are not ended when a goal is scored by either team.

In some cases, a referee can impose a double or triple minor. The infraction is counted as two or three separate minor penalties. If a team scores a power play goal during such a penalty, only the current block of two minutes being counted down is canceled; the penalty clock is then reset to the next lowest interval of two minutes (ex. a goal with a double-minor penalty clock at 3:45 is reset to 2:00). Expiration rules of double- or triple-minor penalties due to goals being scored are identical to that of regular minor penalties being served back-to-back.[12]

A major penalty is a stronger degree of penalty for a more severe infraction of the rules than a minor. Most infractions which incur a major penalty are more severe instances of minor penalty infractions; one exception is fighting, which always draws a major. A player who receives a major penalty will remain off the ice for five minutes of play during which his team will be short-handed. A major penalty cannot end early even if a goal is scored against the short-handed team, unless the goal is scored during an overtime period (which ends the game). If major penalties are assessed to one player on each team at the same time, they may be substituted for, and teams will not be reduced by one player on the ice. The penalized players will remain in the penalty box until the first stoppage of play following the end of the penalties. This commonly occurs with majors for fighting.

Under IIHF rules, every major penalty carries an automatic game misconduct penalty; in other competitions, earning three major penalties in a game results in a game misconduct penalty, though a number of infractions that result in a major penalty automatically impose a game misconduct as well.

Infractions that often call for a major penalty include spearing, fighting, butt-ending, charging, and boarding.

Verbal or physical altercations between opposing players or on-ice officials, may lead to a misconduct penalty, such as this one between a UMass player (red) and a Northeastern University player (white). The player in white was given the misconduct.

A player who receives a misconduct penalty will remain off the ice for ten minutes. The player may be substituted for on the ice and may return to the ice at the first stoppage in play following the expiration of the penalty (unless other penalties were assessed); however, in practice, misconduct penalties are normally assessed along with two minute minor penalties (resulting in a penalty combination colloquially called a "two-and-ten"). If an additional penalty is incurred with a misconduct penalty, the times run concurrently (simultaneously), with another eligible player serving the other penalty in the offender's place to enforce a disadvantage. For example, if a player receives a 2-minute minor plus a misconduct for boarding, two players will be sent to the penalty box: the offender and a teammate of his, frequently one who was on the ice at the time. The team is allowed to immediately substitute for the offender, so there is only a one-man disadvantage. Once the boarding penalty ends, the teammate can return to the ice, and both teams are at full strength again while the offender remains in the penalty box until the first stoppage in play after his/her ten minutes have elapsed. This is according to USA Hockey Rule 404(a) and NHL Rule 28.[13][14] In the event the other penalty is a major, most adult leagues allow deferring placing the substitute player into the penalty box so long as he is in place before the major penalty expires (but the team must still play shorthanded). In such cases, only a player from the penalty box can emerge in place of the offender after the end of the major penalty.

Misconduct penalties are usually called to temporarily take a player off the ice and allow tempers to cool. They are sometimes also assessed in conjunction with fighting majors, giving the offending player(s) the opportunity to calm down as they sit out their ten minutes.

IIHF rules state that if the player gets another misconduct penalty, (s)he will be given a game misconduct penalty and is ejected.

A player (whether a skater or goaltender) or any member of any team's coaching staff who receives a game misconduct penalty is ejected, and is sent to the team's dressing room. The player may be immediately substituted for on the ice; however, in practice, game misconduct penalties are often assessed as an addition to a particularly egregious infraction that has also earned the player a two-minute minor penalty or (more often) a five-minute major penalty, in which case another player will serve this penalty in place of the ejected player. Regardless of the time during the game that the penalty is given, the player is charged with ten penalty minutes (twenty in the IIHF rules) for statistical purposes for the game misconduct. This rule also applies to match penalties (see below).

In most leagues, the referee has the discretion to call a game misconduct on a player charged with boarding due to the likelihood of injury to the boarded player. However, in the NHL, if a boarded player suffers a head or facial injury (a concussion risk), the offending player receives an automatic game misconduct.

Any player who is dismissed twice for stick infractions, boarding or checking from behind, or dismissed three times for any reason, in a single NHL regular season incurs an automatic one-match ban, and further discipline is possible for subsequent ejections. For each subsequent game misconduct penalty, the automatic suspension shall be increased by one game. Salary lost as a result of a ban is usually donated to a league-supported charity or to a program to assist retired players.

Examples of a game misconduct penalty include getting out of the penalty box before the penalty time is served, trying to join or attempt to break up a fight [third man in] or earning a second misconduct penalty in the same game.

A player who receives a match penalty is ejected. A match penalty is imposed for deliberately injuring another player as well as attempting to injure another player. Many other penalties automatically become match penalties if injuries actually occur: under NHL rules, butt-ending, goalies using blocking glove to the face of another player, head-butting, kicking, punching an unsuspecting player, spearing, and tape on hands during altercation[15] must be called as a match penalty if injuries occur; under IIHF rules, kneeing[16] and checking to the head or neck area[17] must be called as a match penalty if injuries occur.

The team of the offending player must choose a substitute player to place in the box from any of the eligible players, excluding the goaltender. The substitute serves a five-minute penalty similar to a major penalty (except in overtime, goals scored against the penalized team do not end the penalty early). If the goaltender receives a match penalty, another player serves the time so that the team may immediately insert a backup. In most cases, offending players are suspended from the next game their team plays, and often face hearings with the possibility of a lengthier ban. In the NHL, a match penalty and a game misconduct are virtually identical in application. However, a match penalty carries a larger fine, and the offending player is suspended indefinitely until the Commissioner rules on the issue.[18]

In NCAA hockey, a similar penalty called a game disqualification results in automatic suspension for the number of games equal to the number of game disqualification penalties the player has been assessed in that season.

For statistical purposes, match penalty is counted as ten minutes in NHL and as twenty-five minutes under the IIHF rules.

A penalty shot is a special case of penalty for cases in which a scoring opportunity was lost as a result of an infraction (like being tripped or hooked while on a breakaway; or a player - other than the goaltender - covers the puck with their hand inside the crease). The player who was deprived of the opportunity (in cases the infraction was against him, for example, on breakaways), or one chosen by the team (in cases where the infraction is not against a specific player), is allowed an unchallenged opportunity to score on the opposing goaltender as compensation. If the infraction occurred when the penalized team has pulled their goalie and the infraction occurs during a breakaway, a goal is immediately awarded to the other team rather than a penalty shot.[19] Regardless of whether or not the penalty shot is successful, the penalty is now treated as if a goal had been scored during that penalty; a minor penalty is negated, and a double-minor is reduced to a regular minor. Major, match, and misconduct penalties are served in their entirety as these are not affected by goals.[20]

Apart from their use as a penalty, penalty shots also form the shootout that is used to resolve ties in many leagues and tournaments.

Similar to a game misconduct in severity, gross misconduct penalties have been eliminated from the NHL rulebook. It was imposed for an action of extreme unsportsmanlike conduct, such as abuse of officials or spectators, and could be assessed to any team official in addition to a player. Infractions which garnered a gross misconduct now earn a game misconduct. The penalty had last been assessed in 2006 on Atlanta Thrashers coach Bob Hartley due to post-game comments made regarding referee Mick McGeough's blown call during a game versus Edmonton. The Phoenix Coyotes' Shane Doan was the last player to be given a gross misconduct penalty in 2005 for alleged ethnic slurs directed at French-Canadian referees (later investigated and subsequently cleared by the NHL).

However, this penalty is still in effect in Canadian hockey. "A Gross Misconduct penalty shall be assessed [to] any player or team official who conducts herself in such a manner as to make a travesty of the game."[21]

This penalty can be assessed for actions which include the consumption of alcohol prior or during the game.

Where a player or team official becomes involved in a fight with a team official or spectator.

Any player or team official who sprays water on or at an official

Any player or team official who engages in verbal taunts based on discriminatory grounds (race, ethnicity, religion, gender, sexual orientation)

The referees make most penalty calls. Linesmen generally may call only certain obvious technical infractions such as "too many players on the ice". The official will initially put an arm in the air to signal a penalty; the official will stop play only once the offending team has control of the puck, or play is stopped by normal means. A delayed penalty is one in which the penalty is called but play is not yet stopped because the non-offending team retains the puck. The goaltender of the non-offending team will often go to the players' bench upon seeing the arm signal to allow an extra attacker on the ice until the play is stopped. Once the offending team touches the puck and the play is stopped, the referee will signal the specific infraction.

In the NHL, if the non-offending team scores a goal in a delayed penalty situation, then it is treated as if a goal was scored during that penalty. Thus, if the delayed penalty is a minor, the penalty is waved off. If the delayed penalty is a double-minor, only the first two-minute block is waved off, and the offending player must still serve the second time block. These rules used to be in college hockey as well, until the 2010-2011 season, when it was changed so that the penalty would still be imposed even if a goal was scored. Major penalties, misconduct penalties and match penalties, which are not affected by goals, are enforced in the usual manner, in both college hockey and the NHL, whether or not a goal is scored.[22]

The offending player or players are sent to the penalty box where they must remain until the penalty has expired. Typically a team will not be allowed to replace the penalized player on the ice; the player will return directly to the ice once the penalty has expired. This creates a power play during which the penalized team will have one player fewer than their opponent and is said to be "short-handed". If two players on a team are in the penalty box at the same time, the situation is called a "five on three" (as is customary, the goalies are not counted in this expression) or "two-man advantage". Additional players may be penalized, but a team will never play with fewer than three skaters on the ice. Additional penalties will be delayed until one of the earlier penalties has expired (see stacked penalties below).

In leagues which play with a shorthanded overtime (with only three or four attackers on the ice), should a team be penalized with only three players on the ice, an additional skater is added to the other team instead, until a five-on-three is produced. If a penalty in this situation expires without a goal being scored, the penalized player will be allowed back on the ice and will play normally until there is a stoppage; both teams will then be reduced back to the correct numbers. Ending coincidental penalties produce a similar situation, with both teams playing with additional players until play is stopped, allowing teams to be reduced again.[23]

While goaltenders can be assessed penalties, a goaltender cannot go to the penalty box and the penalty must be instead served by another player from their team who was on the ice at the time of the infraction (the PIM will be charged to the goaltender). If the goaltender receives either (a) three major penalties (NHL Rule 28.2), (b) one game misconduct penalty (NHL Rule 28.4), or (c) one match penalty (NHL Rule 28.5) however, he or she is ejected for the remainder of the game and must be substituted.

While a team is short-handed, they are permitted to ice the puck as they wish, without having the icing infraction called against them. This allows short-handed teams to relieve pressure more easily when defending with fewer skaters than their opponents. This exemption does not apply to teams whose opponents have pulled their goaltender for an extra attacker (unless the defending team is killing a penalty at the same time).

A team must skate a minimum of three attackers on the ice at all times. If an accumulation of penalties would otherwise force a team to fall below this minimum, the situation becomes known as "stacked penalties". This means that the new penalty will start when one of the already-penalized players causing the disadvantage is allowed back onto the ice, whether the time expires or the opposing team scores on the power play. This also means that the player whose penalty expires first out of the three must wait for a stoppage in play, or the expiration of the second penalty, before leaving the penalty box so that it is appropriately 5 on 3, 5 on 4, and 5 on 5 in succession for each respective situation. Penalties that allow for immediate substitution (certain coincidental penalties and misconduct penalties) do not produce a disadvantage and thus do not count for stacked penalties. Stacked penalties still apply in shorthanded overtimes because two penalties still result in a five-on-three situation regardless of the initial lineup due to the rules allowing an extra attacker as needed.

In a situation where there is less than five minutes remaining in play (the final five minutes of regulation time or the five minutes of regular season overtime), should unequal simultaneous penalties be assessed (a minor or double-minor penalty against one team and a major or match penalty against the other), then instead of both sides serving their full times (which is impossible in the case of the major/match penalty, as less than five minutes remain), the minor penalty is cancelled and its time subtracted from the major penalty, which is then assessed against that team.

In addition, under most leagues' "Fight Insitgator" rules, a player penalized as a Fight Instigator in the final five minutes (or during overtime) is charged with a Game Misconduct penalty and further disciplinary action. This is intended to discourage "revenge" fights started by badly-losing teams.

Arguing with, insulting, using obscene gestures or language directed at or in reference to, or deliberately making violent contact with any on or off-ice official. This generally is issued in addition to other penalties or as a bench penalty against a coach or off-ice player, and is grounds for ejection under a game misconduct or match penalty in most leagues including the NHL.

Aggressor penalty

Assessed to a player who engages in a fight with an unwilling combatant. This is independent of the instigator penalty, and both are usually not assessed to the same player at one time (in that case the player's penalty for fighting is usually escalated to deliberate injury of opponents, which carries a match penalty).

Attempt to injure

Deliberately trying to harm an opponent (successfully or not). This type of infraction carries an automatic match penalty.

Hitting an opponent from behind is a penalty. It carries an automatic minor penalty and misconduct, or a major penalty and game misconduct if it results in injury. See checking. This is generally allowed in the NHL unless it's covered by another penalty such as boarding or illegal check to the head.

Stalling the game (for example, shooting the puck out of play from the defensive zone, holding the puck in the hand, refusing to send players out for a faceoff, or even repeated deliberate offsides). Starting in the 2004-05 AHL season and advanced to the NHL in the a year later, an automatic delay of game penalty is charged to goaltenders that go into the corners behind the goal line (outside a trapezoid-shaped area just behind the net) to play the puck. Some delay of game offenses, such as taking too long to send players to take a faceoff, are not punished with a penalty: instead, the official may choose to eject the centre of the offending team from the face-off circle and order him replaced with another player already on the ice.

Engaging in a physical altercation with an opposing player, usually involving the throwing of punches with gloves removed or worse. Minor altercations such as simple pushing and shoving, and punching with gloves still in place, are generally called as Roughing.

Goaltender Interference

Physically impeding or checking the goaltender. Visually impeding the goaltender's view of the play with the body, called "screening", is legal; but at no time may a goaltender be hit or checked.

Goaltender leaving the crease

A goaltender may not leave the vicinity of his crease during an altercation. Once he has left the crease during an altercation, he may be given a penalty.[24]

Head-butting

Hitting an opponent with the head. A match penalty is called for doing so.

Touching an opponent with the stick above shoulder level.[25] A minor penalty is assessed to the player. If blood is drawn, a double-minor (4 minutes) is usually called. A common (yet false) belief is that blood drawn automatically warrants a double-minor. There is no such rule; this is, however, the precedent that has been in place for years. Referees may use their discretion to assess only a minor penalty even though blood was drawn. They may also assess a double-minor when blood is not drawn, if they believe that the player was sufficiently injured or that the offending player used excessively reckless action with his stick. If a player, while in the action of "following through" on a shot, strikes an opposing player in the head or face area with his stick, high sticking is not called unless the referee can determine that the player taking the shot was deliberately aiming to strike the opposing player. A penalty is also not called when the puck is hit by a high stick, but play will be stopped and the ensuing faceoff will take place at a spot which gives the non-offending team an advantage. Also, a goal that is scored by means of hitting the puck with a stick above the height of the crossbar will not be counted unless it is done by a player of the defending team. (Note that the requirements for high-sticking the puck for purposes of allowing/disallowing goal is different from the other forms of high-sticking.) [26]

Holding

Grabbing an opponent's body, equipment or clothing with the hands or stick. Generally a minor; USA Hockey rules call for a major and a game misconduct for grabbing and holding a facemask or visor.

Holding the stick

Grabbing and holding an opponent's stick, also called when a player deliberately wrenches a stick from the hands of an opposing player or forces the opponent to drop it by any means that is not any other penalty such as Slashing.

Using a stick as a hook to slow an opponent, no contact is required under new standards.

Illegal check to the head

As of the start of the 2010-11 NHL season, any form of "lateral or blind side hit to an opponent, where the player's head is targeted and/or the principal point of contact" is punishable with a combination five-minute major penalty and game misconduct,[27] due to the increasing concern following concussion injuries to NHL players following incidents such as David Booth and Marc Savard's concussions in the 2009-10 NHL season. A second incident of this type caused by the same player in a season (or post-season playoffs) results in an automatic suspension for the following game their team plays, with the potential for increasing durations of suspension from active play, for any subsequent checks to opposing players' head areas.

Illegal equipment

Using equipment that does not meet regulations, either by size (length, width) or number (two sticks) or other guidelines (e.g. a goaltender's facemask can no longer be the "Jason Voorhees"-style form-fit mask, a skater may not have a stick with a curve exceeding 3/4" (19 mm), nor may they play with a goaltender's stick. A goaltender may play with a regular player's stick.). If a player (non-goaltender) breaks a stick, it is mandatory to drop the stick immediately and play without it until getting a replacement from the bench. Otherwise this penalty will be assessed to the offending player (some game summaries call this "playing with a broken stick"). In addition, in the NHL a player may not pick a broken stick up off the ground after it has been dropped (they can only receive a stick from another player or from the bench; goaltenders may not go to the bench but must have a stick carried out to them). This rule is generally not enforced in amateur leagues except for broken sticks or egregiously out-of-spec equipment, as the cost of acquiring gear that meets NHL specifications since a 2005 (and further in 2013) rule change is prohibitive, especially for goalies. Goaltenders will now receive a two-game suspension for the use of oversized equipment. Their teams will also be fined $25,000 and the trainer will be docked $10,000.[28]

Instigator penalty

An instigator of an altercation is a player who demonstrates any of the following actions: distance travelled; gloves off first; first punch thrown; menacing attitude. A player deemed an instigator will receive an instigating minor penalty. A player who instigates a fight in the final five minutes of a game (or in overtime in the regular season) will instead be charged a game misconduct and given an automatic one-game suspension. The length of the suspension would double for each additional incident. The player's coach will be fined $10,000, a penalty that would double for each recurrence.[28]

Interference

Impeding an opponent who does not have the puck, or impeding any player from the bench.

Joining a fight

Also called the "third man in" rule, the first person who was not part of a fight when it broke out but participates in said fight once it has started for any reason (even to pull the players apart) is charged with an automatic game misconduct in addition to any other penalties they receive for fighting.

Kicking an opponent with the skate or skate blade. Kicking carries a match penalty if done with intent to injure, but otherwise carries a major penalty and a game misconduct. (Under Hockey Canada rules, kicking or attempting to kick an opponent always carries a Match Penalty regardless of intent.)

A penalized player who leaves the penalty bench before his penalty has expired, whether play is in progress or not, shall incur an additional minor penalty after serving his unexpired penalty. Any player who, having entered the penalty bench, leaves the penalty bench prior to the expiration of his penalty for the purpose of challenging an official’s ruling, shall be assessed a game misconduct penalty. He shall also be automatically suspended for the next three regular league or playoff games of his club. A player exiting the penalty bench, or player's bench, for the purpose of joining an altercation will be given a game misconduct, and suspended the next ten games.

Participating in the play beyond the centre red line (goaltender)

A rare penalty, carries a minor penalty and is only assessed against the goaltender.

Playing with too many sticks

When a player plays with more than one stick. For example, if a goaltender were to lose his stick and a player from his team skates over to pick up the goaltender stick and then, while skating back to the goaltender with both sticks, attempts to touch a live puck with either stick, will be called for Playing with too many sticks.

Pushing or shoving after the whistle has been blown or when it takes place away from the play (often called against a player from each team, resulting in a coincidental minors situation, but can also be called on a single player); also called when the hands make contact with an opponent's head/face on an otherwise legal check; called in non-checking leagues when a body check is made. Non-checking leagues may also refer to this penalty as simply 'body checking'.

Secondary altercation

This infraction is not listed in the NHL Rulebook, but it is prevalent in the Central Hockey League (United States) and other minor leagues. It is most commonly issued when players engage in or attempt to engage in fight after the original fight (between two separate players). This infraction carries an automatic game misconduct penalty.

Swinging a stick at an opponent, no contact is required under new standards.

Slew footing

This occurs when a player uses his feet or knees to knock an opponent's skates out from under him with a kicking or leg dragging motion from behind. Slew footing as a separate penalty does not exist in the USA Hockey rulebook as of 2005-2006[update].

Spearing

Stabbing an opponent with the stick blade. It carries an automatic major penalty and game misconduct.

Starting the wrong lineup

This very rare bench minor penalty is called when the offending team's starting lineup contains any player not listed in the lineup submitted before the game. For this penalty to be called, the captain of the non-offending team must bring this breach of the rules to the referee's attention immediately at the first stoppage of play. Also the penalty may be given if a player is not put on the scoresheet at the beginning of the game and plays. The only way for this to be called is if the official scorer notifies the referee of this oversight.

Substitution infraction (Illegal Substitution)

This rare bench minor penalty is called when a substitution or addition is attempted during a stoppage of play after the linesmen have signalled no more substitutions (once the face-off is set) or if a team pulls its goaltender and then attempts to have the goaltender re-enter play at any time other than during a stoppage of play. Too many men on the ice and/or starting the wrong lineup can also simply be called a substitution infraction.

Throwing the stick/Throwing stick/Throwing equipment

Often accompanied by a penalty shot. If any player on the ice who throws his stick or any part thereof or any other object (i.e. equipment) in the direction of the puck or an opponent in any zone, except when such act has been penalized by the assessment of a penalty shot or the awarding of a goal then a minor penalty will be assessed. Should any player, coach, or non-playing person on the players’ bench or penalty bench throw anything on the ice during the progress of the game or during a stoppage of play, a bench minor penalty unsportsmanlike conduct shall be assessed. Can be upgraded to game misconduct or match penalty depending on severity.

Having more than the allowable number of players (six, including the goaltender, if not already short handed) on the ice involved in the play at any given time. "Involved in the play" is key; players that are entering the ice as substitutes for players coming off (line changing) may enter the ice once the player returning to the bench is less than five feet from his team's bench (Rule 74.1); at that point the returning player is considered out of the play, even if the play passes in front of the bench, unless he actively makes a move for the puck. Players entering the ice are part of the play as soon as their skates touch the ice.

Arguing with a referee; using slurs against an opponent or teammate; playing with illegal equipment; making obscene gestures or abusing an official. Can carry either a minor, misconduct, game misconduct or match penalty, depending on the gravity of the infraction (for instance, using obscene language to a referee initially results in a minor, but making an obscene gesture to an opponent, fan or official carries a game misconduct.) Also, in some leagues the penalty progression is different for players and team officials (for example, in the USA Hockey rulebook players get a minor for their first infraction, a misconduct for their second and a game misconduct for their third, whereas the option of a misconduct is removed for coaches; in addition, after each penalty for a team official, the penalty count resets itself). Unsportsmanlike conduct may also be called if a player drops gloves and stick in preparation for a fight, but the non-offending player does not drop the corresponding equipment and has committed no action (verbal or physical harassment) to attempt to instigate a fight. Since 2008, the NHL has ruled that standing in front of an opposing goaltender and engaging "in actions such as waving his arms or stick in front of the goaltender's face, for the purpose of improperly interfering with and/or distracting the goaltender" will draw a minor unsportsmanlike conduct penalty, a rule interpretation inspired by the play of Sean Avery against Martin Brodeur.

Goalkeeper who uses his blocking glove to the head or face of an opponent*

Grabbing of the face mask

Hair pulling

Head-butting*

High-sticking

Illegal Check to the Head

Kicking a player

Kneeing

Punching and injuring an unsuspecting opponent*

Slashing

Slew-footing

Spearing*

Throwing stick or any object

Wearing tape on hands in altercation*

Other leagues typically assess penalties for additional infractions. For example, most adult social leagues and women's hockey leagues ban all body checking (a penalty for roughing or illegal check is called), and in most amateur leagues, any head contact whatsoever results in a penalty. If a player pulls down another female's ponytail, they will be charged with a game misconduct penalty. The foul of moving the goalposts is handled differently from league to league; it has historically been a penalty shot, but after David Leggio began deliberately committing the foul to disrupt scoring opportunities, the American Hockey League declared such an act to be a game misconduct and the Deutsche Eishockey Liga automatically awarded the goal.

Coaches or players may occasionally opt to commit an infraction on purpose. In some cases, it is hoped that the infraction can be concealed from the officials, avoiding a penalty. Gordie Howe was one player renowned for his ability to commit infractions without being called.

Hockey players that opt to commit an infraction despite the punishment do so in order to degrade the opposing team's morale or momentum, or boost their own. This is most common with fighting, because the likely coincidental penalties do not result in a hindrance for their team. Hockey players also sometimes commit infractions with the hope of drawing the other player into committing a retaliatory infraction, and being penalized, while not being caught themselves. Hockey players known as "pests" specialize their game in the strategy of trying to draw opponents into taking a penalty. An example is Sean Avery, who was renowned in his ability to goad opponents into taking penalties as well as making other fundamental mistakes. Some players, coaches, and fans find this technique unsportsmanlike.

It is also not uncommon to see players "dive" or make a borderline hit appear to be a penalty by embellishing or exaggerating their reaction to it; this, however, is a penalty in itself, although it is inconsistently enforced.

Another common reason to commit an infraction is as last resort when an opposing player has a scoring opportunity, when a penalty kill is the preferable alternative to the scoring opportunity. These are referred to on most broadcasts as "good penalties".

The NHL keeps individual statistics on the penalties each player accrues through the penalties in minutes statistic (abbreviated "PIM"). Players renowned for their fighting or for being dirty players will usually lead their team in PIM and have such statistics highlighted by the media.[33]

The most penalties in a single game occurred in a fight-filled match between the Ottawa Senators and Philadelphia Flyers on March 5, 2004, when 419 penalty minutes were handed out.[38][39] Statistically, a game misconduct counts as 10 penalty minutes, in addition to other penalties handed out. In rare cases (as a result of multiple infractions, for instance the player participating in multiple fights), multiple game misconducts may be handed to a player — that is merely statistical, not (automatically) a multi-game suspension, although the league will often suspend the player in a subsequent decision.[original research?]

On 9 January 2010, a massive brawl broke out in an Avangard Omsk game against Vityaz Chekhov. The conflict started during pre-game warm-ups when Darcy Verot intentionally shot a puck at Lasse Kukkonen forcing Alexander Svitov to stand up for his teammate. Soon after the game started, Brandon Sugden challenged Svitov to another fight, which then involved all other eight skaters on the ice. A number of other fights ensued resulting in a bench- and penalty-box clearing. The officials had to suspend the game just after 3:39 in the first period, as there were only four players left to play the game.[40] A world record total of 707 penalty minutes were incurred during the game. The Kontinental Hockey League imposed heavy fines on both teams, some players and the head coaches as well as disqualifying six of Vityaz's players and Avangard's Dmitry Vlasenkov, who was first to leave the bench during a fight. The game was counted as a 5–0 defeat for both teams with no points being awarded.[41][42]

1.
Ice hockey
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Ice hockey is a contact team sport played on ice, usually in a rink, in which two teams of skaters use their sticks to shoot a vulcanized rubber puck into their opponents net to score points. Ice hockey teams usually consist of six each, one goaltender. A fast-paced, physical sport, ice hockey is most popular in areas of North America, Ice hockey is the official national winter sport of Canada, where the game enjoys immense popularity. In North America, the National Hockey League is the highest level for mens hockey, the Kontinental Hockey League is the highest league in Russia and much of Eastern Europe. The International Ice Hockey Federation is the governing body for international ice hockey. The IIHF manages international tournaments and maintains the IIHF World Ranking, worldwide, there are ice hockey federations in 74 countries. Ice hockey is believed to have evolved from simple stick and ball games played in the 18th and 19th century United Kingdom and these games were brought to North America and several similar winter games using informal rules were developed, such as shinny and ice polo. The contemporary sport of ice hockey was developed in Canada, most notably in Montreal, some characteristics of that game, such as the length of the ice rink and the use of a puck, have been retained to this day. Amateur ice hockey began in the 1880s, and professional ice hockey originated around 1900. The Stanley Cup, emblematic of ice hockey club supremacy, was first awarded in 1893 to recognize the Canadian amateur champion, in international competitions, the national teams of six countries predominate, Canada, Czech Republic, Finland, Russia, Sweden and the United States. Of the 69 medals awarded all-time in mens competition at the Olympics, in the annual Ice Hockey World Championships,177 of 201 medals have been awarded to the six nations. In Russia and the Ukraine, where hockey can also refer to bandy, the name hockey has no clear origin. The English historian and biographer John Strype did not use the word hockey when he translated the proclamation in 1720, the 1573 Statute of Galway banned a sport called hokie—the hurling of a little ball with sticks or staves. A form of this word was thus being used in the 16th century, though much removed from its current usage. According to the Austin Hockey Association, the word derives from the Scots Gaelic puc or the Irish poc. The blow given by a hurler to the ball with his caman or hurley is always called a puck. Stick-and-ball games date back to pre-Christian times, in Europe, these games included the Irish game of hurling, the closely related Scottish game of shinty and versions of field hockey. IJscolf, a game resembling colf on a surface, was popular in the Low Countries between the Middle Ages and the Dutch Golden Age. It was played with a curved bat, a wooden or leather ball

2.
Pittsburgh Penguins
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The Pittsburgh Penguins are a professional ice hockey team based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. They are members of the Metropolitan Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League, the franchise was founded in 1967 as one of the first expansion teams during the leagues original expansion from six to twelve teams. The Penguins played in the Civic Arena, also known to Pittsburgh fans as The Igloo and they moved into their new arena, PPG Paints Arena, to begin the 2010–11 NHL season. They have qualified for five Stanley Cup Finals, winning the Stanley Cup four times – in 1991,1992,2009, and 2016. Before the Penguins, Pittsburgh had been the home of the NHLs Pirates from 1925 to 1930, in the spring of 1965, Jack McGregor, a state senator from Kittanning, began lobbying campaign contributors and community leaders to bring an NHL franchise back to Pittsburgh. The group focused on leveraging the NHL as an urban renewal tool for Pittsburgh. The senator formed a group of investors that included H. J. Heinz Company heir H. J. Heinz III, Pittsburgh Steelers owner Art Rooney. Norris, owner of the Chicago Black Hawks, and his brother Bruce Norris, the effort was successful, and on February 8,1966, the National Hockey League awarded an expansion team to Pittsburgh for the 1967–68 season. The Penguins paid $2.5 million for their entry and $750,000 more for start-up costs, the Civic Arenas capacity was then boosted from 10,732 to 12,500 to meet the NHL requirements for expansion. The Pens also paid a bill to settle with the Detroit Red Wings. The investor group named McGregor president and chief officer. A contest was held where 700 of 26,000 entries picked Penguins as the nickname for the team, mark Peters had the winning entry, a logo was chosen that had a penguin in front of a triangle, which symbolized the Golden Triangle of downtown Pittsburgh. The Pens, along with the rest of the teams, were hampered by restrictive rules which kept most major talent with the existing Original Six teams. Beyond aging sniper Andy Bathgate, All-Star defenseman Leo Boivin and Ranger veteran Earl Ingarfield, a number of the players had played for the Hornets the previous season, Bathgate, wingers Val Fonteyne and Ab McDonald, and goaltenders Hank Bassen and Joe Daley. George Sullivan was named the coach for the clubs first two seasons, and McDonald was named the teams first captain. On October 11,1967, league president Clarence Campbell and McGregor jointly dropped the ceremonial first puck of the Penguins opening home game against the Montreal Canadiens. On October 21,1967, they became the first team from the class to beat an Original Six team. However, the Penguins went 27–34–13 and finished in place in the West Division, missing the playoffs

3.
Detroit Red Wings
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The Detroit Red Wings are a professional ice hockey team based in Detroit, Michigan. They are members of the Atlantic Division in the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League and are one of the Original Six teams of the league, founded in 1926, the team was known as the Detroit Cougars from then until 1930. For the 1930–31 and 1931–32 seasons the team was called the Detroit Falcons, between the 1933–34 and 1965–66 seasons, the Red Wings missed the playoffs only four times. Between the 1966–67 and 1990–91 seasons, the Red Wings made the only eight times in 25 seasons. During the last 11 years of this stretch, only five of the Leagues 21 teams did not make the post-season and this rough period for the team provoked the nickname of the Dead Wings. Near the end of that 25-year period, however, the Red Wings advanced to the Conference Finals twice. They have made the playoffs in 30 of the last 32 seasons, including 25 in a row, during a subsequent meeting on May 15, the league approved a franchise to the Townsend-Seyburn group of Detroit and named Charles A. Hughes as governor. Frank and Lester Patrick, the owners of the WHL, made a deal to sell the players to the NHL. The new Detroit franchise purchased the players of the folded Victoria Cougars WHL club to play for the team, the new Detroit franchise also adopted the Cougars nickname in honor of the folded franchise. Since no arena in Detroit was ready at the time, the Cougars played their first season in Windsor, for the 1927–28 season, the Cougars moved into the new Detroit Olympia, which would be their home rink until December 27,1979. This was also the first season behind the bench for Jack Adams, the Cougars made the Stanley Cup playoffs for the first time in 1929 with Carson Cooper leading the team in scoring. The Cougars were outscored 7–2 in the series with the Toronto Maple Leafs. In 1930, the Cougars were renamed the Falcons, but their woes continued, as they finished near the bottom of the standings. In 1932, the NHL let grain merchant James E. Norris, Norris first act was to choose a new name for the team—the Red Wings. Earlier in the century, Norris had been a member of the Montreal Amateur Athletic Association, the MAAAs teams were known by their club emblem and these Winged Wheelers were the first winners of the Stanley Cup in 1893. Norris decided that a version of their logo was perfect for a team playing in the Motor City, Norris also placed coach Jack Adams on a one-year probation for the 1932–33 NHL season. Adams managed to pass his probationary period by leading the franchise to first ever playoff series victory over the Montreal Maroons. Despite this success, the team lost in the semi-finals to the New York Rangers, in 1934 the Wings made the Stanley Cup Finals for the first time, with John Sorrell scoring 21 goals over 47 games and Larry Aurie leading the team in scoring

4.
Joe Louis Arena
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Joe Louis Arena is a multi-purpose arena located in Detroit, Michigan. It is the home of the Detroit Red Wings of the National Hockey League, completed in 1979 at a cost of $57 million, the venue is named after former heavyweight champion boxer Joe Louis, who grew up in Detroit. Only one other NHL arena, Madison Square Garden, is without a corporate sponsorship name, the second oldest NHL venue after Madison Square Garden, Joe Louis Arena is owned by the city of Detroit, and operated by Olympia Entertainment, a subsidiary of Ilitch Holdings. Built as a replacement for the Detroit Olympia, it sits adjacent to Cobo Center on the bank of the Detroit River and is accessible via the Joe Louis Arena station on the Detroit People Mover. Joe Louis Arena replaced the Detroit Olympia, where the Detroit Red Wings had played since 1927, the neighborhood around the Olympia had gradually deteriorated, especially after the 1967 Detroit riot. After two murders took place near the Olympia, Red Wings owner Bruce Norris seriously considered moving to an arena in suburban Pontiac. However, the city of Detroit countered with a proposal for a new riverfront arena at one-third of the rent Pontiac was offering, the package also gave the Red Wings operational control of both the arena, nearby Cobo Arena and nearby lots. The arena hosted its first event on December 12,1979, the Red Wings played their first game at Joe Louis Arena on December 27,1979, hosting the St. Louis Blues. Later that first season it hosted the 32nd NHL All-Star Game on February 5,1980, Joe Louis Arena was the site of the 1987 NHL Entry Draft, which marked the first NHL Entry Draft to be held in the United States. In 1980, the hosted the Republican National Convention where Ronald Reagan was nominated as the Republican candidate for President of the United States. In 2006, LED video screens replaced the JumboTrons, the screens debuted November 22,2006, when the Red Wings played the Vancouver Canucks. That same day, the arenas West Entrance was named the Gordie Howe Entrance in honor of the legendary Red Wing player, Joe Louis Arena currently houses 86 premium suites. In 2008, the introduced the Comerica Bank Legends Club. Joe Louis Arena will be demolished following the completion of the new arena, the Red Wings final game in Joe Louis Arena is scheduled for April 9,2017 against the New Jersey Devils. In 1995, the Detroit Junior Red Wings won the Ontario Hockey Leagues J. Ross Robertson Cup, Joe Louis Arena hosts college hockey events as part of College Hockey at The Joe, the Great Lakes Invitational, and the Big Ten Conference hockey tournament in 2015 and 2017. The Detroit Pistons of the NBA used the arena for Game 5 of their 1984 playoff series against the New York Knicks when the Pontiac Silverdome was unavailable due to a scheduling conflict. In the game, Pistons star Isiah Thomas scored 16 points in the final 1,34 of regulation to send the game into overtime before the Pistons lost. The Pistons were forced to return to Joe Louis Arena for 15 games during the 1984–85 season, the Detroit Red Wings of the NHL hosted the Stanley Cup Finals at the arena six times,1995,1997,1998,2002,2008, and 2009

5.
Montreal
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Montreal, officially Montréal, is the most populous municipality in the Canadian province of Quebec and the 2nd-most populous in Canada as a whole. Originally called Ville-Marie, or City of Mary, it is believed to be named after Mount Royal, the city has a distinct four-season continental climate, with warm-to-hot summers and cold, snowy winters. In 2016, Montreal had a population of 1,704,694, Montreals metropolitan area had a population of 4,098,927 and a population of 1,958,257 in the urban agglomeration, with all of the municipalities on the Island of Montreal included. Legally a French-speaking city,60. 5% of Montrealers speak French at home,21. 2% speak English and 19. 8% speak neither, Montreal is one of the most bilingual cities in Quebec and Canada, with 56% of the population able to speak both official languages. Montreal is the second-largest primarily French-speaking city in the world after Paris, historically the commercial capital of Canada, it was surpassed in population and economic strength by Toronto in the 1970s. It remains an important centre of commerce, aerospace, finance, pharmaceuticals, technology, design, education, culture, tourism, gaming, film, Montreal was also named a UNESCO City of Design. In 2009, Montreal was named North Americas leading host city for international events, according to the 2009 preliminary rankings of the International Congress. According to the 2015 Global Liveability Ranking by the Economist Intelligence Unit, in the 2017 edition of their Best Student Cities ranking, Quacquarelli Symonds ranked Montreal as the worlds best city to study abroad. Also, Montreal has 11 universities with 170,000 students enrolled, the Greater Montréal region has the highest number of university students per capita among all metropolitan areas in North America. It is the only Canadian city to have held the Summer Olympics, currently, the city hosts the Canadian Grand Prix of Formula One, the Montreal International Jazz Festival and the Just for Laughs festival. In 2012, Montreal was ranked as a Beta+ world city, in Kanien’kéha, or Mohawk language, the island is called Tiohtià, ke Tsi or Ka-wé-no-te. In Anishinaabemowin, or Ojibwe language, the land is called Mooniyaang, though the city was first named by French colonizers Ville Marie, or City of Mary, its current name comes from Mount Royal, the triple-peaked hill in the heart of the city. The most popular theory is that the name derives from Mont Réal, Cartiers 1535 diary entry, naming the mountain, according to the Commission de toponymie du Québec and the Geographical Names Board of Canada, Canadian place names have only one official form. Thus, Montreal is officially spelled with an accent over the e in both English and French. In practice, this is limited to governmental uses. English-speaking Montrealers, including English-language media, regularly omit the accent when writing in English, archaeological evidence demonstrates that First Nations native people occupied the island of Montreal as early as 4,000 years ago. By the year AD1000, they had started to cultivate maize, within a few hundred years, they had built fortified villages. Archeologists have found evidence of their habitation there and at locations in the valley since at least the 14th century

6.
National Hockey League
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Headquartered in New York City, the NHL is considered to be the premier professional ice hockey league in the world, and one of the major professional sports leagues in the United States and Canada. The Stanley Cup, the oldest professional sports trophy in North America, is awarded annually to the playoff champion at the end of each season. At its inception, the NHL had four teams—all in Canada, the league expanded to the United States in 1924, when the Boston Bruins joined, and has since consisted of American and Canadian teams. After a labour-management dispute that led to the cancellation of the entire 2004–05 season, in 2009, the NHL enjoyed record highs in terms of sponsorships, attendance, and television audiences. The league draws many highly skilled players from all over the world, canadians have historically constituted the majority of the players in the league, with an increasing percentage of American and European players in recent seasons. The National Hockey League was established in 1917 as the successor to the National Hockey Association, founded in 1909, the NHA began play one year later with seven teams in Ontario and Quebec, and was one of the first major leagues in professional ice hockey. Realizing the NHA constitution left them unable to force Livingstone out, the four teams voted instead to suspend the NHA, frank Calder was chosen as its first president, serving until his death in 1943. The Bulldogs were unable to play, and the remaining owners created a new team in Toronto, the first games were played on December 19,1917. The Montreal Arena burned down in January 1918, causing the Wanderers to cease operations, the NHL replaced the NHA as one of the leagues that competed for the Stanley Cup, which was an interleague competition back then. Toronto won the first NHL title, and then defeated the Vancouver Millionaires of the Pacific Coast Hockey Association for the 1918 Stanley Cup. The Canadiens won the title in 1919, however their Stanley Cup Final against the PCHAs Seattle Metropolitans was abandoned as a result of the Spanish Flu epidemic. Montreal in 1924 won their first Stanley Cup as a member of the NHL, the Hamilton Tigers, won the regular season title in 1924–25 but refused to play in the championship series unless they were given a C$200 bonus. The league refused and declared the Canadiens the league champion after defeated the Toronto St. Patricks in the semi-final. Montreal was then defeated by the Victoria Cougars of the Western Canada Hockey League for the 1925 Stanley Cup and it was the last time a non-NHL team won the trophy, as the Stanley Cup became the de facto NHL championship in 1926 after the WCHL ceased operation. The National Hockey League embarked on rapid expansion in the 1920s, adding the Montreal Maroons, the Bruins were the first American team in the league. The New York Americans began play in 1925 after purchasing the assets of the Hamilton Tigers, the New York Rangers were added in 1926. The Chicago Black Hawks and Detroit Cougars were also added after the league purchased the assets of the defunct WCHL, a group purchased the Toronto St. Patricks in 1927 and immediately renamed them the Maple Leafs. The first NHL All-Star Game was held in 1934 to benefit Ace Bailey, the second was held in 1937 in support of Howie Morenzs family when he died of a coronary embolism after breaking his leg during a game

7.
Washington Capitals
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The Washington Capitals are a professional ice hockey team based in Washington, D. C. They are members of the Metropolitan Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League, since their founding in 1974, the Capitals have won one conference championship, and nine division titles. In 1997, the team moved their home ice rink from the suburban Capital Centre to the new MCI Center, in Washington. Businessman Ted Leonsis has owned the team since 1999, and has revitalized the franchise by drafting star players such as Alexander Ovechkin, Nicklas Bäckström, the 2009–10 Capitals won the franchises first-ever Presidents Trophy for being the team with the most points at the end of the regular season. They won it a time in 2015–16, and did so for a third time the following season in 2016–17. Along with the Kansas City Scouts, the Capitals joined the NHL as a team for the 1974–75 season. The team was owned by Abe Pollin, Pollin had built the Capital Centre in suburban Landover, Maryland, to house both the Bullets and the Capitals. His first act as owner was to hire Hall of Famer Milt Schmidt as general manager, with a combined 30 teams between the NHL and the World Hockey Association, the available talent was stretched thin. The Capitals had few players with experience and were at a disadvantage against the long-standing teams that were stocked with veteran players. Like the other three teams who joined the league during the WHA era—the Scouts, Atlanta Flames, and New York Islanders—the Capitals did not factor the survival of the league into their plans. The Capitals inaugural season was dreadful, even by expansion standards and they finished with far and away the worst record in the League at 8–67–5. Their 21 points were half that of their brethren, the Scouts. The eight wins are the fewest for an NHL team playing at least 70 games, and they also set records for most road losses, most consecutive road losses, and most consecutive losses. Head Coach Jim Anderson said, Id rather find out my wife was cheating on me than keep losing like this, at least I could tell my wife to cut it out. Schmidt himself had to take over the coaching reins late in the season, in 1975–76, Washington went 25-straight games without a win and allowed 394 goals en route to another horrendous record, 11–59–10. During the middle of the season, Max McNab was hired as the general manager. For the rest of the 1970s and early 1980s, the Capitals alternated between seasons and finishing only a few points out of the Stanley Cup playoffs. In 1980 and 1981, for instance, they were in contention until the last day of the season

8.
Phil Kessel
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Philip Joseph Phil Kessel Jr. is an American professional ice hockey right winger currently playing for the Pittsburgh Penguins of the National Hockey League. Kessel is a product of USA Hockey National Team Development Program and he finished his amateur career playing collegiate hockey in the NCAA for the University of Minnesota in the Western Collegiate Hockey Association conference. He was then selected fifth overall in the 2006 NHL Entry Draft by the Boston Bruins, after his rookie season, 2006–07, he was awarded the Bill Masterton Memorial Trophy for overcoming testicular cancer while continuing his professional career. In 2009, Kessel was traded from Boston to the Toronto Maple Leafs where he spent six seasons before being dealt to the Pittsburgh Penguins in 2015, in the 2015–16 season, Kessel won his first Stanley Cup with the Pittsburgh Penguins over the San Jose Sharks. Kessel is known as a goal scorer and for his active iron man streak – he is one of five players in the NHL with an active streak of 500 or more consecutive games. Kessel plays internationally for the United States, at the 2010 Winter Olympics, Kessel played in six games, scoring one goal and one assist en route to a silver medal. At the 2014 Winter Olympics, he played in six games, recording five goals and he was named the tournaments top forward and also named to the tournament all-star team. On February 23,2017, Kessel was ranked as the fourth best active American-born player in the NHL by NHL. com writers, Kessel played youth hockey with the AAA Madison Capitols in his hometown of Madison, Wisconsin. An offensive standout from an age, Kessel put up 286 points in 86 games with his AAA bantam squad in 2001–02. He followed up on that effort the next year with the Capitols U18 team where, during the 2002–03 season, for the 2003–04 season, Kessel moved to Ann Arbor, Michigan, to join the United States National Team Development Programs under-17 squad. He set NTDP records for goals and points for a U17 player, during the 2004–05 season, Kessel played full-time on the under-18 team scoring 52 goals and 98 points, both of which were, at the time, records for an under-18 player. Kessel graduated from Pioneer High School in 2005, however, because his birthday falls after September 15, he was not eligible for the NHL Entry Draft that year. After finishing his two years at NTDP, Kessel enrolled at University of Minnesota on a scholarship and played for the Golden Gophers mens ice hockey team for the 2005–06 season. His first collegiate goal came on a penalty shot, marking the first time in history that a player scored his first career goal on a penalty shot. As a rookie freshman, Kessel finished second on the team in scoring with 51 points in 39 games and he was named the 2005–06 WCHA Rookie of the Year and named to the 2005–06 All-Rookie Team. Kessel was drafted fifth overall by the Boston Bruins in the 2006 NHL Entry Draft and he subsequently signed an entry level contract with the team on August 17,2006, thereby forgoing his final three years of college eligibility. On August 17,2006, the Bruins announced that they had signed Kessel to a three-year, on December 11,2006, Kessels family announced that he was hospitalized for a reason unrelated to hockey. Later during the day, Bob Lobel, a sportscaster for WBZ-TV in Boston, five days later, on December 16, Kessel was announced cancer-free

9.
Montreal Canadiens
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The Montreal Canadiens are a professional ice hockey team based in Montreal, Quebec. They are members of the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League, the clubs official name is le Club de hockey Canadien. The team is referred to in English and French as the Habs. French nicknames for the team include Les Canadiens, Le Bleu-Blanc-Rouge, La Sainte-Flanelle, Le Tricolore, Les Glorieux, Les Habitants, Le CH and Le Grand Club. Founded in 1909, the Canadiens are the longest continuously operating professional ice hockey team worldwide, the franchise is one of the Original Six teams, a description used for the teams that made up the NHL from 1942 until the 1967 expansion. The teams championship season in 1992–93 was the last time a Canadian team won the Stanley Cup, the Canadiens have won the Stanley Cup more times than any other franchise. They have won 24 Stanley Cups,22 of them since 1927, on a percentage basis, as of 2014, the franchise has won 25. Since 1996, the Canadiens have played their games at Centre Bell. The team previously played at the Montreal Forum which housed the team for seven decades and all, the Canadiens were founded by J. Ambrose OBrien on December 4,1909, as a charter member of the National Hockey Association, the forerunner to the National Hockey League. It was to be the team of the community in Montreal, composed of francophone players. The teams first season was not a success, as they placed last, after the first year, ownership was transferred to George Kennedy of Montreal and the teams fortunes improved over the next seasons. The team won its first Stanley Cup championship in the 1915–16 season, in 1917, with four other NHA teams, the Canadiens formed the NHL, and they won their first NHL Stanley Cup during the 1923–24 season, led by Howie Morenz. The team moved from the Mount Royal Arena to the Montreal Forum for the 1926–27 season, the club began the 1930s decade successfully, with Stanley Cup wins in 1930 and 1931. The Canadiens and its rival, the Montreal Maroons, declined both on the ice and economically during the Great Depression. Losses grew to the point where the team owners considering selling the team to interests in Cleveland, Ohio, the Maroons still suspended operations, and several of their players moved to the Canadiens. Led by the Punch Line of Maurice Rocket Richard, Toe Blake and Elmer Lach in the 1940s, the Canadiens added ten more championships in 15 seasons from 1965 to 1979, with another dynastic run of four-straight Cups from 1976 to 1979. In the 1976–77 season, the Canadiens set two still-standing team records — for most points, with 132, and fewest losses, by losing eight games in an 80-game season. The next season, 1977–78, the team had a 28-game unbeaten streak, scotty Bowman, who would later set a record for most NHL victories by a coach, was the teams head coach for its last five Stanley Cup victories in the 1970s

10.
Boston Bruins
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The Boston Bruins are a professional ice hockey team based in Boston, Massachusetts. They are members of the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League, the team has been in existence since 1924, and is the leagues third-oldest team and is the oldest in the United States. It is also an Original Six franchise, along with the Chicago Blackhawks, Detroit Red Wings, Montreal Canadiens, New York Rangers and Toronto Maple Leafs. The Bruins have won six Stanley Cup championships, tied for fourth most of all-time with the Blackhawks and their home arena is the TD Garden, where they have played since 1995. The Bruins began play in the NHL on December 1,1924, in 1924, at the convincing of Boston grocery magnate Charles Adams, the National Hockey League decided to expand to the United States. Adams had fallen in love with hockey while watching the 1924 Stanley Cup Finals between the NHL champion Montreal Canadiens and the WCHL champion Calgary Tigers. With the Montreal Maroons, the team was one of the NHLs first expansion teams, Adams first act was to hire Art Ross, a former star player and innovator, as general manager. Ross was the face of the franchise for the thirty years. In 1924, Adams directed Ross to come up with a nickname for the franchise, arthur Ross picked a name by himself. According to him, a Bruin is an animal and alliterative with Boston. The background of the Bruins black and gold colorway dates back to their founder, Black and gold were the colors of Adams’ grocery chain, which made Boston Bruins uniforms a spot to advertise on. On December 1,1924, the new Bruins team played their first NHL game against the Maroons, at Boston Arena, but the team only managed a 6–24–0 record in its first season. In their third season, 1926–27, the team markedly improved, the Bruins reached the Stanley Cup Final despite finishing only one game above.500, but lost to the Ottawa Senators in the first Cup Final to be between exclusively NHL teams. In 1929 the Bruins defeated the New York Rangers to win their first Stanley Cup, standout players on the first championship team included Shore, Harry Oliver, Dit Clapper, Dutch Gainor and goaltender Tiny Thompson. The 1928–29 season was the first played at Boston Garden, which Adams had built after guaranteeing his backers $500,000 in gate receipts over the five years. The 1930s Bruins teams included Shore, Thompson, Clapper, Babe Siebert, the team led the leagues standings five times in the decade. In 1939, the changed its uniform colors from brown and yellow to the current black and gold. That year, Thompson was traded for rookie goaltender Frank Brimsek, Brimsek had an award-winning season, capturing the Vezina and Calder Trophies, becoming the first rookie named to the NHL First All-Star Team, and earning the nickname Mr. Zero

11.
Fighting in ice hockey
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Some fights are spontaneous, while others are premeditated by the participants. While officials tolerate fighting during hockey games, they impose a variety of penalties on players who engage in fights, therefore, the vast majority of fights occur in the NHL and other North American professional leagues. Physical play in hockey, consisting of allowed techniques such as checking and prohibited techniques such as elbowing, high-sticking, although often a target of criticism, it is a considerable draw for the sport, and some fans attend games primarily to see fights. Those who defend fighting in hockey say that it helps deter other types of play, allows teams to protect their star players. The debate over allowing fighting in ice hockey games is ongoing, most fans and players oppose eliminating fights from professional hockey games, but considerable opposition to fighting exists and efforts to eliminate it continue. Fighting has been a part of ice hockey since the rise in popularity in 19th century Canada. Other theories include the poverty and high rates of local Canada in the 19th century. The implementation of features, such as the blue lines in 1918. Creation of the blue lines allowed forward passing, but only in the neutral zone, therefore, puck handlers played at close quarters and were subject to a great deal of physical play. The emergence of enforcers, who protected the puck handlers and fought when necessary, in 1922, the NHL introduced Rule 56, which formally regulated fighting, or fisticuffs as it was called in the official NHL rulebook. Rather than ejecting players from the game, as was the practice in amateur and collegiate hockey, Rule 56 and its language also filtered down to the minor professional and junior leagues in North America. In the current NHL rulebook, the reference to fisticuffs has been removed. Referees are given considerable latitude in determining what constitutes a fight. Star players were known to fight for themselves during the Original Six era. However, as the NHLs expansion in the late 1960s created more roster spots and spread star players more widely throughout the league, multiple fights during the era received significant media attention. The incident landed Hanson in the news, and irate Winnipeg fans attempted to assault him on his way out of the arena, Hanson appeared in the 1977 movie Slap Shot, a comedy about hockey violence. The rise of the Broad Street Bullies in the 1973–74 and 1974–75 Philadelphia Flyers served as an example for future NHL enforcers, the average number of fights per game rose above 1.0 during the 1980s, peaking at 1.17 in 1983–84. That season, a brawl broke out at the end of the second period of a second-round playoff matchup between the Quebec Nordiques and the Montreal Canadiens

12.
University of Massachusetts
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The University of Massachusetts is the five-campus public university system and the only public research system in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. The system includes four universities, a school, and a satellite campus, with system administration in Boston. The system is accredited by the New England Association of Schools and Colleges, the UMass system is ranked 52nd in the World in 2016 for its Innovative Achievements according to Reuters. Times Higher Education World University Rankings ranked the system 91-100 in the world by reputation in 2015, round University Ranking ranks University of Massachusetts No.65 nationally and No.165 globally in 2017. In 2016 The Times Higher Education ranked UMass 165 globally and 57 nationally, in 2015, the system was ranked 30th globally in the Top 100 Worldwide Universities Granted U. S. Patents in 2015 by National Academy of Inventors, in 2017 Times Higher Education published its list of the most international universities in the world, with the University of Massachusetts listed No.88. In 2012, the state of Massachusetts introduced $607 million in new funding to advance high-quality instructional. In 2012, research expenditures for the UMass system were close to $600 million, the University of Massachusetts Amherst is the flagship and largest school in the UMass system. It was also the first one established, dating back to 1863, the University of Massachusetts Medical School was founded in 1962, and is located in Worcester. The University of Massachusetts Boston, originally established in 1964, was merged with Boston State College in 1982, in 1991, the University of Lowell and Southeastern Massachusetts University joined the system as the University of Massachusetts Lowell and University of Massachusetts Dartmouth, respectively. UMass Amherst is the flagship and the largest of the UMass campuses and it became Massachusetts State College in 1931, and University of Massachusetts in 1947. The library system is the largest state-supported library system in New England with over 6.1 million items, the campus has many architecturally distinctive buildings commissioned by the Commonwealth and designed by world-renowned architects. UMass Amherst offers a variety of academic and co-curricular options, ninety-three percent of the 1,174 full-time faculty members hold the highest degree in their fields. The average SAT score for the 2015 entering class is 1226, the campus has 21,373 undergraduates and offers 86 bachelors degree programs. There is a student-to-faculty ratio of 17,1, UMass Amherst hosts Commonwealth Honors College where admission is more competitive with an average SAT score of 1390. CHC offers personalized advising, smaller class sizes taught by professors, and a six building Honors Residential Community, students participate in 240 campus organizations,21 NCAA Division I athletic teams, living-learning residence halls, community service, internships, and faculty research. Students can take classes on any of these campuses and participate in all co-curricular, kumble R. Subbaswamy serves as UMass Amhersts chancellor. UMass Boston is a university located in the City of Boston

A delayed penalty call situation, in which the referee (top-left) indicates a coming penalty by raising his arm, and prepares to blow the whistle when a player from the team to be penalized (in white) touches the puck. Goaltender Jere Myllyniemi can be seen (right) rushing to the bench to send on an extra attacker.